I Shudder

And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey

About the Book

I Shudder is a side-splittingly funny collection of essays from Paul Rudnick, one of America’s preeminent humorists. Rudnick, who writes for The New Yorker and has written the screenplays for the films In and Out, Sister Act, and Addams Family Values, shares his hilarious observations on life in New York City and New Jersey, the perils of show business, and dealing with one’s family, however crazy they may be. As David Sedaris says, “There’s no book wiser or half as funny as I Shudder.”

Book Description

From his classic plays and screenplays to his sidesplitting pieces for The New Yorker and Premiere, Paul Rudnick is one of our most adored humor writers. Now, in this long overdue collection, he casts his gleefully wicked eye on the world as he sees it: a landscape of stylish dowagers, irascible producers, and full-tilt eccentrics.

From living in a series of increasingly bizarre, altogether fabulous New York City apartments to cavorting with a cast of colorful artists and endearingly perplexing show business personalities who have to be read to be believed, to handling the finer points of putting up with his wonderfully outlandish but lovable family, Rudnick triumphs with I Shudder—a raucously funny collection from one of America's true comedic treasures.

Educator and Librarian Resources

Critical Praise

“I Shudder is filled with deeply funny musings and adventures that elevate Paul Rudnick to the highest level of American comedy writing. It should be noted that I would be at the highest level of American comedy writing if I had had Paul’s early advantages.” — Steve Martin

“Paul Rudnick is a champion of truth (and love and great wicked humor) whom we ignore at our peril. There’s no book wiser or half as funny as I Shudder.” — David Sedaris

“Uproariously self-deprecating essays about being gay and Jewish in suburban New Jersey and downtown Manhattan...The vignettes that give the book its title offer...irresistible screeds against the indignities of modern urban life.” — New York Times Book Review

“The witty, sardonic playwright (Jeffrey) and screenwriter (In & Out, Addams Family Values) delivers an acerbic and entertaining memoir about his experiences as a child in New Jersey and an adult in showbiz.” — Entertainment Weekly

“Piscataway, N.J. and Hollywood don’t usually have much in common, but writer Paul Rudnick finds absurdity in both.” — Modern Tonic

“Uproariously self-deprecating essays of a gay, Jewish life in Manhattan, Hollywood and suburbia.” (Editor’s Choice) — New York Times

“[A] lovable and astute collection of humor pieces...breezy and giddy with zingers, all handcrafted to make their good-natured defiance seem easy...[a] deceptively sweet and droll collection.” — Newsday

“A laugh-out-loud pleasure to read...[Rudnick] writes with glee and unjudgmental warmth about the bohemian people and places of late 1970s and ‘80s.” — Asbury Park Press

“[A] smart, dishy and very funny essay collection.” — Daily News

“A hilarious, often touching hodgepodge. . . . It’s the literary equivalent of the tchotchke, at least as [Paul Rudnick] defines it: ‘Something peculiar which you don’t need, and which has no discernible purpose or value, but which you can’t live without.’” (Four out of four stars) — People

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